Minn. governor still in the hospital after back op

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Minn. Gov. Mark Dayton will ring in the new year at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, where's he's extending his stay while he recovers from back surgery.

Dayton's spokeswoman, Katharine Tinucci, said Monday that Dayton and his doctor decided he would benefit from one more day at the clinic. Dayton had surgery last Thursday to relieve a constriction in his lower back, and was originally scheduled to return to the governor's residence on Monday.

Mayo says Dayton's condition is caused by normal wear-and-tear on the spine. The Democratic governor turns 66 in a few weeks. The surgeon who operated on Dayton says the procedure went as planned with no complications.

Dayton plans to return home on Tuesday, and is foregoing public events for the next few weeks as he recuperates.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)